Wide-eyed kiddies in Scarface school play shocker

YouTubers have got themselves into a right old tizz over what is purportedly a bunch of schoolkids acting out a short extract from Brian de Palma bloodfest Scarface:

Predictably enough, this thoughful theatrical work hasn't impressed some viewers. One representative critique offered: "whom ever thinks this﻿ is "cute" or a "good job" is pathetic!! what kind of things are schools teaching & permitting now & days??!! & as for the parents of these children why in the world would you be proud of this??! what type of morals & education are you encouraging. pls explain!!!! poor kids dont know better but, it seems that you parents & teachers are saying "hey its ok kill an enemy or anyone & get F*cked up on drugs" how sad that public schools have come to this."

Well, other more astute netizens were able to track down the truth: the vid is a viral by one Marc Klasfeld of Rockhard Films and "aimed at illustrating the pervasiveness of sex and violence in our media culture - and how it blankets children on a daily basis".

Klasfeld told CNN: "Obviously there are people who find it outrageous and provocative, but there are a lot of parents, who are like me and my wife, who see all the violence on television and all the different things that are sold to children and that's a thousand times worse than this video."

The kids featured are all actors aged between 7 and 10, recruited via a Los Angeles casting agent. Klasfield noted that their parents have not as yet complained about the content of Scarface: The School Play. ®